Arena Fonte Nova to be ready in February

Salvador: Salvador`s Arena Fonte Nova, to be used during the Confederations Cup and next year`s football World Cup, will be completed Feb 28, according to the local state government.

The original deadline was December 2012 but at the turn of the year the stadium was only 85 percent finished, with the pitch still needing to be laid, reports Xinhua. The stadium will officially be reopened March 29, the birthday of the north-eastern city. The idea is that the Fonte Nova`s inauguration will be a gift to the entire metropolis and its population. The exact type of celebration has not yet been formalised but a music show, as happened in Fortaleza and Belo Horizonte, is a distinct possibility. The first match at the new ground will be a derby game between Bahia and Vitoria in the Bahia state championship March 31. Fonte Nova is due to host three games during the FIFA Confederations Cup in June. Brazil vs Italy, Uruguay vs the tournament`s African representatives (yet to be decided) and the third place play-off will all be played in Salvador. IANS